Luiz Carlos de Abreu

Musical Auditory Stimulation and Cardiac Autonomic Regulation

Humans discovered the effects of the musical auditory stimulation on their own wellness at the dawn of the pre-historical age, i.e., during the Cro-Magnon and the Neanderthalian cave cultures. Charles Darwin hypothesized that musical auditory stimulation may have been a protolanguage in ancient times. Under a cultural perspective, the definition of musical auditory stimulation is subtle and not well established, since it has varied through history, in different regions, and within societies. The fifteenth edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica describes that “while there are no sounds that can be described as inherently unmusical auditory stimulational, musical auditory stimulationians in each culture have tended to restrict the range of sounds they will admit”. In his 1983 book, Musical auditory stimulation as Heard: A Study in Applied Phenomenology, Thomas Clifton affirms that “musical auditory stimulation is the actualization of the possibility of any sound whatever to present to some human being a meaning which he experiences with his body—that is to say, with his mind, his feelings, his senses, his will, and his metabolism” (Clifton, 1983). On the other hand, the French musical auditory stimulationologist Jean-Jaques Nattiez has affirmed that “the border between musical auditory stimulation and noise is always culturally defined — which implies that, even within a single society, this border does not always pass through the same place; in short, there is rarely a consensus. By all accounts there is no single and intercultural universal concept defining what musical auditory stimulation might be (Clifton, 1983).

The Efficiency of Physiotherapy on the Quality of Life of Women Bearers ofUrinary Incontinence

Introduction: The Urinary Incontinence (UI) is a kind of lower urinary tract disfunction that may happen when there are alterations in the physiologic urination process. The use of therapeutic exercises has shown itself very efficient in the treatment of UI, with the objective of improving the efficiency of the urethral sphincter during the intraabdominal pressure raise periods. Objective: Evaluate the efficiency of the perineal exercises and vaginal electrostimulation on the quality of life of women bearers of urinary incontinence. Method: About 10 patients with urinary incontinence (UI) were submitted to a series of perineal exercises and electrostimulation. A UI specific questionnaire “Incontinence Quality of Life Instrument” (I-QOL) was used for the evaluation of the patients. Results: There was an improvement in the general score of the I-QOL whereas without significant improvement values. Conclusion: Therapeutic Exercises associated to electrostimulation may bring improvements to the urinary incontinence patients’ quality of life.

Determinantes do controle da pressão arterial em homens assistidos na atenção primária à saúde

A Hipertensão Arterial é uma condição clínica multifatorial com uma prevalência no Brasil de 30% em adultos maiores de 20 anos e de 35,8% nos homens, que estão mais expostos a fatores de risco e frequentam menos os serviços de saúde. Nosso objetivo é investigar o controle da pressão arterial de homens hipertensos atendidos no Serviços de Saúde da Atenção Primária em dois municípios Paraibanos. Este estudo foi comparativo com abordagem quantitativa, análise descritiva, aplicando-se regressão logística. Foi verificado que a maioria dos homens hipertensos nos municípios estudados não está sendo acompanhada pelos serviços e apresenta pressão arterial não controlada. São maiores de 60 anos, de raça não branca, estão em sobrepeso/obesidade, tabagistas e não etilistas. As variáveis que mantêm relação com o controle da pressão são raça, sobrepeso/obesidade e sedentarismo. Concluímos que a hipertensão é um grave problema de saúde pública que requer de todos (usuários, profissionais e gestores) mudança de atitude no enfrentamento desse problema. Para o controle da pressão arterial se faz necessário o acompanhamento do usuário pelas equipes dos serviços de saúde. É necessário intensificar ações focadas nas atividades físicas e alimentação saudável, bem como vincular os homens aos serviços de saúde, promovendo uma captação precoce, uma reorganização na forma operacional de atendimento, registro, horário de consulta e o fortalecimento das ações de educação em saúde. Palavras-chave: Atenção primária à saúde. Fatores de risco. Hipertensão. Saúde do homem. Hypertension is a multifactorial clinical condition with a prevalence in Brazil of 30% in adults over 20 years and 35.8 % in men, who are more exposed to risk factors and attend fewer the health services. The objective of this research was to investigate the control of blood pressure in hypertensive men, assisted by the Primary Health Care Services in two cities in the state of Paraíba and to identify the relationship between modifiable risk factors and sociodemographic factors with the control of blood pressure levels. This comparative study with a quantitative approach, descriptive analysis, applying logistic regression. It was verified that most hypertensive men in the cities studied, it is not being monitored by the authorities and has uncontrolled blood pressure. They are over 60 years, of non-white race, overweight / obese, smokers and non-drinkers. The variables that keep relation with pressure control are race, overweight / obesity and physical inactivity. We conclude that hypertension is a serious public health problem that requires all users, professionals and managers to change their attitude in tackling this problem. To control blood pressure, it is necessary the monitoring of the users by the teams of health services. It is also necessary to intensify actions focused on physical activities and healthy eating, as well as link the men to health services, thus promoting early diagnosis, a reorganization in operating the attendance, record, consultation time and the strengthening of health education activities.

Cardiovascular responses induced by Catalase Inhibitior into the Fourth Cerebral Ventricle is changed in Wistar rats exposed to sidestream cigarette smoke

OBJECTIVES This experimental study aimed to evaluate the effects of central catalase inhibition on cardiovascular responses in rats exposed to sidestream cigarette smoke (SSCS) for 3 weeks. METHODOLOGY A total of 20 males Wistar rats (320-370g) were implanted with a stainless steel guide cannula into the fourth cerebral ventricle (4(th)V). Femoral artery and vein were cannulated for mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) measurement and drug infusion, respectively. Rats were exposed to SSCS for three weeks, 180 minutes per day, 5 days/week [carbon monoxide (CO): 100-300 ppm)]. Baroreflex was tested with one pressor dose of phenylephrine (PHE, 8 μg/kg, bolus) and one depressor dose of sodium nitroprusside (SNP, 50 μg/kg, bolus). Cardiovascular responses were evaluated before and 15 minutes after 3-amino-1, 2, 4-triazole (ATZ, catalase inhibitor, 0.001g/100μL) injection into the 4(th) V. RESULTS Vehicle treatment into the 4(th) V did not change cardiovascular responses. Central catalase inhibition increased tachycardic peak, attenuated bradycardic peak and reduced HR range at 15 minutes, increased MAP at 5, 15 and 30 min and increased HR at 5 and 15 min. In rats exposed to SSCS, central ATZ increased basal MAP after 5 min and increased HR at 5, 15 and 30 minutes, respectively, and attenuated bradycardic peak at 15 minutes. CONCLUSION This study suggests that brain oxidative stress caused by SSCS influences autonomic regulation of the cardiovascular system.

Reactive Oxygen Species and Cardiovascular Diseases

Reduction or oxidation caused by addition or loss of any electron is responsible for alterations in functional and structural profile of molecules, hence, changing signaling mechanism. Reactive free radicals play a crucial role in different physiological mechanisms ranging from the immune defense to cell signaling and inflammation (Elahi & Matata, 2006). There is increasing evidence that irregular production of free radicals lead to enhanced stress on cellular structures and causes changes in molecular pathways that underpins the pathogenesis of several relevant human disorders, such as cancer, heart diseases, the process of physiological ageing and neurological diseases (Pacher & Szabo, 2008; Lushchak, 2011a; Lushchak, 2011b). Comprehending the involvement of free radical stress in the pathogenesis of disease will allow us to investigate the development of oxidative stress; a condition that occurs due to an imbalance between cellular production of oxidant molecules and the availability of appropriate antioxidants species that defend against them. It is hoped that this knowledge will subsequently lead to the development of effective therapeutic interventions against oxidative stress.

Estado atual das fraturas dos arcos costais

Os traumas toracicos sao uma importante causa de hospitalizacao, morbidade e mortalidade na populacao jovem. Em muitas ocasioes, esses traumas toracicos se associam as fraturas dos arcos costais, consideradas benignas na maioria das vezes, mas que podem determinar uma maior gravidade em seus portadores, principalmente idosos. Neste trabalho de revisao, concluiu-se que o diagnostico correto das fraturas deve ser realizado inclusive com o apoio da tomografia computadorizada, uma vez que a radiologia simples nao e suficiente para a precisao diagnostica. Em relacao ao tratamento, muitos autores advogam a terapeutica cirurgica, objetivando uma recuperacao mais rapida dos pacientes internados com fratura de arcos costais.